Meilen: population and statistics
Meilen has a population of 14,952 (2025) across 11.9 km², or 1,252 people per km². It ranks 96 of 2,115 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +10.5% between 2015 and 2025.
- 14,952 residents
- 11.9 km²
- 1,252 people/km²
- 416 m
Key points
Among the 160 municipalities in Zürich, Meilen ranks No. 21 by population.
Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant: 4,263 kWh/inh. in Meilen, compared with an average of 4,465 kWh/inh. in Zürich and 7,100 kWh/inh. nationally.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 38° generates about 1,165 kWh a year here.
Meilen in numbers
Where is Meilen?
Population of Meilen over time
Meilen had 13,531 residents in 2015 and 14,952 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 14,539 |
| 2021 | 14,697 |
| 2022 | 14,754 |
| 2023 | 14,751 |
| 2024 | 14,848 |
| 2025 | 14,952 |
Did you know?
- “Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant”: lower than in 96% of municipalities.
- “Establishments”: higher than in 96% of municipalities.
- “Dwellings”: higher than in 95% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 1,672 football pitches.
- Its population density is 5.4 times the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Uetikon am See, 2.7 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Horgen (24,641 residents), 3.5 km away.
All indicators for Meilen
Value for the municipality, then the regional average and the national median (for counts: regional and national totals). The gauge places the municipality between the lowest and highest value in the country.
Population
| Indicator | Meilen | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 21.5% | 17.6% | 20.7% | ranked 766 of 1,811 |
Housing
| Indicator | Meilen | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (2026) | 7,388 | 810,666 | 4,927,050 | ranked 106 of 2,108 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built before 1946 (2026) | 17.6% | 20.9% | 23.3% | ranked 1,210 of 1,806 | |
| Dwellings in buildings built since 2001 (2026) | 28.7% | 27.3% | 25.3% | ranked 682 of 1,806 | |
| Share of single-family houses among residential buildings (2026) | 53.3% | 50.5% | 69.5% | ranked 1,581 of 1,806 |
Energy
| Indicator | Meilen | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil or gas heating systems (2026) | 74.4% | 63.4% | 53.5% | ranked 217 of 1,806 | |
| Heat pumps as main heating (2026) | 9.7% | 20.2% | 13.7% | ranked 1,264 of 1,806 | |
| Wood heating systems (2026) | 4.5% | 5.4% | 12.4% | ranked 1,485 of 1,806 | |
| District heating (2026) | 3.8% | 8.1% | 1.4% | ranked 550 of 1,806 | |
| Photovoltaic installations (2026) | 347 | 33,320 | 329,600 | ranked 210 of 2,108 | |
| Installed photovoltaic capacity per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 605.8 kW | 571.3 kW | 1,134 kW | ranked 1,579 of 1,806 | |
| Rooftop solar electricity potential (2026) | 63.7 GWh/year | 7,291 GWh/year | 64,783 GWh/year | ranked 209 of 2,114 | |
| Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant (2026) | 4,263 kWh/inh. | 4,465 kWh/inh. | 9,356 kWh/inh. | ranked 1,736 of 1,810 |
Economy
| Indicator | Meilen | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2024) | 1,240 | 126,784 | 728,011 | ranked 84 of 2,112 | |
| Entities listed in the commercial register (2026) | 1,402 | 132,519 | 762,757 | ranked 86 of 2,115 | |
| Entities in the commercial register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 93.8 | 81.2 | 64.9 | ranked 246 of 1,811 | |
| Share of limited companies (AG, GmbH) among registered entities (2026) | 69.8% | 67.3% | 65.7% | ranked 529 of 1,808 | |
| Share of sole proprietorships among registered entities (2026) | 27.3% | 27.9% | 29.0% | ranked 1,049 of 1,808 |
Employment
| Indicator | Meilen | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs (2024) | 6,128 | 1,149,866 | 5,679,518 | ranked 154 of 2,111 | |
| Jobs per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 409.8 | 704.2 | 362.9 | ranked 736 of 1,810 | |
| Share of jobs in services (2024) | 79.8% | 81.6% | 63.6% | ranked 333 of 1,804 | |
| Share of jobs in industry and construction (2024) | 18.6% | 16.2% | 24.2% | ranked 1,179 of 1,776 |
Society
| Indicator | Meilen | Zürich | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 24.7% | 29.2% | 18.9% | ranked 546 of 1,811 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Meilen
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Meilen?
Meilen has 14,952 residents (2025), ranking 96 of 2,115 municipalities.
How big is Meilen?
Meilen covers 11.9 km², with a density of 1,252 people per km².
Is the population of Meilen growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Meilen went from 13,531 to 14,952, a change of +10.5%.
Where is Meilen?
Meilen is in Zürich. It belongs to Bezirk Meilen (district). Latitude 47.270, longitude 8.641.
Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant: what is the figure for Meilen?
In Meilen, “Rooftop solar potential per inhabitant” stands at 4,263 kWh/inh. (2026), ranking 1,736 of 1,810 municipalities; the national median is 9,356 kWh/inh..
Establishments: what is the figure for Meilen?
In Meilen, “Establishments” stands at 1,240 (2024), ranking 84 of 2,112 municipalities; the national median is 131.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Meilen?
In Meilen, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 38° produces about 1,165 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Meilen?
The nearest to Meilen are Uetikon am See (2.7 km), Herrliberg (3.1 km), Horgen (3.5 km), Männedorf (4.2 km), Oberrieden (4.8 km).